Health issues aside, Christie's weight has been seen an a liability in the political arena. "The simple truth is that no one of Christie's size in modern times has gone on to win a presidential nomination, let alone the White House," writes political editor Paul Steinhauser on CNN's Political Ticker blog.

Christie is a tough guy -- he likes to pick fights on the Left and the Right, usually at the same time. But in the era of mass media and the carefully calibrated public image, is obesity a presidential deal breaker? Will undergoing weight loss surgery make Christie a target for late-night monologues and Twitter jokes? If history is any indication, and it frequently is, there are some things you can't do if you want to become president.

Romney, despite his MA governorship, was a newby. Big donors know what winners do to losers; ONLY Romney needed to explain his view of the 47%.

In the 1960s my Repub mom and Dem dad were still living. Learning from both of them, I was an independent. Besides Barry's many campaign-killing remarks, he helped expel the moderate Repubs who'd given the Dems the votes they needed to pass the Civil Rights laws. (The only explanation I have for my mom's being a Repub was that from the 1920s until she died, the Repubs supported and the Dems opposed the Equal Rights Amendment. In the early 1970s the two parties changed their positions.)

Nixon's Southern Strategy helped replenish Repub ranks by bringing racist Southern Dems into the Party. They're showing us that they are still there.

In 2000 Gore's handlers didn't let him, or he wasn't shrewd enough to, take some of Nader's issues and votes. On top of that, Florida Dems fell down on the job and didn't warn him the race would be close.

About Kerry, who in the early 1970s had some energy, a woman I knew had it right when she said he'd been in the Senate too long and had learned to go along to get along. He'd lost his energy.

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Though Reagan won election, he didn't count the evangelicals before he invited them into the Party. They outnumbered the remaining moderates and took over the state parties. Their inability to compromise is enabling the Repub Party's slow suicide.

I found your opinions interesting, Tom. I didn't realize that the Democrats had opposed the Equal Rights Amendment at one time while the Republicans endorsed it. Interesting observation about Kerry too. Thanks.